Generally, your 'noise' is going to come from your preamps, which will be cranked up, because ribbon mics have somewhat of a low output... transformers are basically noiseless, and there's not much else inside a ribbon mic (unless it has active circuitry, which most do not). I think that 'resonance' you said you were experiencing is caused by tensioning the ribbon 'too' high. People usually use an oscilloscope or oscillator, to tune the ribbon to a specific, ideal, low frequency (probably something that can be easily high-passed out of the signal).
Oh yeah, preamps for sure. I know it's not the Mic that is actually noisey, not something as simple passive as this. I actually since got an SE Dynamite, and it makes a huge difference for the mic. Yeah, I was playing around really, I've barely scratched the surface of what someone could do with this mic. If I was more into it I'd likely be tweeking on it way more. Over tension could make sense. YOu know I didn't have a decent Osc back then, I do now. I'll have to keep that in mind.
I agree with number one...you have a different mic AND you are addressing the modded mic at 1/2 the distance vs. the un-modded mic ...No wonder the bass response is more exaggerated!
I used to solder every day as a side hustle, but I regret burning the enamel. Approaching it a couple of times, then giving up anyway is not faster than getting straight away to sanding. The fumes are poisonous anyway.
Because you reinstalled the ribbon by hand (even slight variants in tensions, affect the frequencies), you are not comparing same mic with diff. transformers anymore (you have a mic with a different transformer AND a different ribbon tension now) At the end of the day, who cares.... as long as the mic sounds good and that you'll be using it. Good video, man.
I was just looking up the specs on my Coles 4038, and apparently the Ribbon is 0.6 Microns hah. I guess that's why they say not to walk to fast, or run with them in your hand, and not to shut the case fast lol. Apparently Royer uses some super thick 4 micron, and 2.5 in the 121.
I think I learned more about ribbon mics during this project that I ever knew. I didn't even know the ribbon sized were a thing before doing this. Messing with it felt like diffusing a bomb.
Hey! Check out Manny Nieto's ribbon mic video's. He has a couple that show a cool trick for when putting ribbon's like this back in. Also, for instance, when he was putting in a new ribbon in a mic like this, he was mentioning how he'd have to tune the ribbon later on, but never showed that part, so I'm not sure if tuning can even apply when one's just taking out, and putting back in a ribbon. I mean, either way I'm sure its fine, and gunna work either way, but might be a cool thing to learn. Not sure if it's just to do with tension? Also, apparently in these cheaper ribbon Mics, they leave the ribbons quite loose, because its harder to blow a floppy ribbon lol.
Yeah eh, the ribbon did seems loose. I had plans to tinker with it more, but I lost interest. For some reason I'm the type to not bother watching other videos about the subject I'm working on and just dive in blindly, haha.
To clean filings from your magnets try dabbing them off with masking tape .Then remove the tape residue with alcohol on a Q-tip. This has worked for me.
Hey thanks for the video, was thinking about taking my 210 apart just to check the condition but I’ve been reading a lot about this mod. I guess some people take the pop filters right off too, kinda curious how that would sound
Hi. Try using a bic lighter to strip small wires! Just heat it to the point of ignition, blow it out then strip easily! Model railroad stuff from the early 1980's lol!
I built a ribbon mic from a kit on my kitchen table. With the 1.5 micron aluminum. Definitely the most frustrating thing I've ever done. Was like manipulating spider web.
@@DATT The perforated plates on each side of the motor. Bare out of the casing this ribbon motor is near flat right up to beyond 10kHz. If there is a cage with gauze keep it and inserting it back into the case there might be a minor 2db dip at 2kHz but those plates give resonances that cause bumps right through the treble spectrum.
@@unequally-tempered Ohh ok. Yeah, I've heard that gutting those out makes it sound better, but I'm reluctant to do so cause I like the protection. I mostly use this to mic guitar cabs, and I worry the punch might pop the ribbon. I think the screens kind of sandwich the gauze and they would go with it. I suppose I'd have to rig something up. I had plans to mod that mic further so that's worth looking into. The plates bumping the treble, would you say it makes the mic brighter ? WOuld it be darker with the plates removed ? Cause that's the effect I'm going for, to tame the brightness of a sharp sounding metal amp.
OK - very simple - remove one and not the other. Use the side with the plate for the guitar. In the days of the old Reslo mics they had a kit of two felt pads and a thicker wad of stuff to insert and alter the response. On the guitar side, possibly put a thin felt on the inside of the outer casing metal mesh or on the outside of the cage with the gauze material. That will dampen transmission of treble a bit as well as giving you extra thump protection from the guitar cab.
@@unequally-tempered Hmm, ok, I'll have to keep this in mind next time I work on it. I was planning of maybe trying my hand at a custom ribbon one of these days.
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Generally, your 'noise' is going to come from your preamps, which will be cranked up, because ribbon mics have somewhat of a low output... transformers are basically noiseless, and there's not much else inside a ribbon mic (unless it has active circuitry, which most do not).
I think that 'resonance' you said you were experiencing is caused by tensioning the ribbon 'too' high. People usually use an oscilloscope or oscillator, to tune the ribbon to a specific, ideal, low frequency (probably something that can be easily high-passed out of the signal).
Oh yeah, preamps for sure. I know it's not the Mic that is actually noisey, not something as simple passive as this. I actually since got an SE Dynamite, and it makes a huge difference for the mic.
Yeah, I was playing around really, I've barely scratched the surface of what someone could do with this mic. If I was more into it I'd likely be tweeking on it way more.
Over tension could make sense. YOu know I didn't have a decent Osc back then, I do now.
I'll have to keep that in mind.
I agree with number one...you have a different mic AND you are addressing the modded mic at 1/2 the distance vs. the un-modded mic ...No wonder the bass response is more exaggerated!
Oh, I'll be the first to admit this is a very informal video. Just kind of guy in his workshop messing around experience.
I used to solder every day as a side hustle, but I regret burning the enamel. Approaching it a couple of times, then giving up anyway is not faster than getting straight away to sanding. The fumes are poisonous anyway.
Yeah, I don't work with enamel very often, hence I'm never quite sure how to work with it.
Because you reinstalled the ribbon by hand (even slight variants in tensions, affect the frequencies), you are not comparing same mic with diff. transformers anymore (you have a mic with a different transformer AND a different ribbon tension now)
At the end of the day, who cares.... as long as the mic sounds good and that you'll be using it. Good video, man.
Yeah that makes sense.
I was just looking up the specs on my Coles 4038, and apparently the Ribbon is 0.6 Microns hah. I guess that's why they say not to walk to fast, or run with them in your hand, and not to shut the case fast lol. Apparently Royer uses some super thick 4 micron, and 2.5 in the 121.
I think I learned more about ribbon mics during this project that I ever knew. I didn't even know the ribbon sized were a thing before doing this. Messing with it felt like diffusing a bomb.
Hey! Check out Manny Nieto's ribbon mic video's. He has a couple that show a cool trick for when putting ribbon's like this back in. Also, for instance, when he was putting in a new ribbon in a mic like this, he was mentioning how he'd have to tune the ribbon later on, but never showed that part, so I'm not sure if tuning can even apply when one's just taking out, and putting back in a ribbon. I mean, either way I'm sure its fine, and gunna work either way, but might be a cool thing to learn. Not sure if it's just to do with tension? Also, apparently in these cheaper ribbon Mics, they leave the ribbons quite loose, because its harder to blow a floppy ribbon lol.
Yeah eh, the ribbon did seems loose. I had plans to tinker with it more, but I lost interest. For some reason I'm the type to not bother watching other videos about the subject I'm working on and just dive in blindly, haha.
To clean filings from your magnets try dabbing them off with masking tape .Then remove the tape residue with alcohol on a Q-tip. This has worked for me.
It's so simple is stupid I didn't think of it. Thanks for the tip!
Hey thanks for the video, was thinking about taking my 210 apart just to check the condition but I’ve been reading a lot about this mod. I guess some people take the pop filters right off too, kinda curious how that would sound
I left them in for good measure. The mic is said to get real pressure sensitive if you remove them.
Hi. Try using a bic lighter to strip small wires! Just heat it to the point of ignition, blow it out then strip easily! Model railroad stuff from the early 1980's lol!
Great show btw. I am scared to open my Apex 210 to look at the ribbon tension.
Hmm, soften the plastic before I try to cut it. Interesting idea.
There's no harm in looking. Tweeking on it is def a different story.
Interesting stuff...
.
I built a ribbon mic from a kit on my kitchen table. With the 1.5 micron aluminum. Definitely the most frustrating thing I've ever done. Was like manipulating spider web.
.
Originally there is much thicker ribbon than 2,5 micron.
Oh, probably what in there too. It's an older vid, so I can't recall what I might of said.
Take the plates out and the frequency response will be near flat.
Which plates are you referring to ?
@@DATT The perforated plates on each side of the motor. Bare out of the casing this ribbon motor is near flat right up to beyond 10kHz. If there is a cage with gauze keep it and inserting it back into the case there might be a minor 2db dip at 2kHz but those plates give resonances that cause bumps right through the treble spectrum.
@@unequally-tempered Ohh ok.
Yeah, I've heard that gutting those out makes it sound better, but I'm reluctant to do so cause I like the protection. I mostly use this to mic guitar cabs, and I worry the punch might pop the ribbon. I think the screens kind of sandwich the gauze and they would go with it. I suppose I'd have to rig something up. I had plans to mod that mic further so that's worth looking into.
The plates bumping the treble, would you say it makes the mic brighter ? WOuld it be darker with the plates removed ?
Cause that's the effect I'm going for, to tame the brightness of a sharp sounding metal amp.
OK - very simple - remove one and not the other. Use the side with the plate for the guitar. In the days of the old Reslo mics they had a kit of two felt pads and a thicker wad of stuff to insert and alter the response.
On the guitar side, possibly put a thin felt on the inside of the outer casing metal mesh or on the outside of the cage with the gauze material. That will dampen transmission of treble a bit as well as giving you extra thump protection from the guitar cab.
@@unequally-tempered Hmm, ok, I'll have to keep this in mind next time I work on it. I was planning of maybe trying my hand at a custom ribbon one of these days.
In the undercarriage 😂
.
Those pop filters make this mic sound worst, remove it and try without.
Yeah I know. I kind of leave it in so keep it protected.